Father,
I know your love for me. I see your love for me in the sunshine that warms my face and in the afternoon breeze that ruffles through my hair. I see your power through the answered prayers of my loved ones in need. I am calling out to you now, at the top of my lungs. Help me. Save me by showing to me the way out from under this weight. I know it will not break me and that you will provide for me a way to handle it. Show it to me please. Bring me peace and comfort through your Word and through the beauty of your creation and the people you have called to love me and the people you have called me to love. You know my heart and I want to desire the things you have designed for me. Show me the way to go. Guide my feet along the path you have for me. I love you and I long to be obedient.
Amen.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Prom
Well, prom has come and gone. An event that cost thousands of dollars, many hours, and tons of stress.
Adam and I woke up and after a drive thru breakfast of Chick-Fli we meet my principal at the school to transport the Paris kits, lights and extension cords. We arrived at the conference center to meet with our student and parent volunteers and start creating the perfect backdrop for celebration. Only two kids show up to help. And they only stayed as long as their hair appointments allowed. The parents were great, we wouldn't have been able to do it without them. Adam opened the box to the sixteen foot Eiffel Tower and read the estimated building time. 8 hours! He deserve several jewels on his crown!! The teachers on my committee and the parents worked a long time to put together a tower, gate, lamposts and hook up all the lights. I missed Sela's amazing birthday party. And in the midst of the preparation met our new pastor and his wife while picking up a t shirt order at the church.
We left around five to shower and I needed to get a dress to wear. I was getting nervous about all the things could go wrong. Particularly with the safety of my kids. It just happened to be Greek Week, and we were 100 yards from Fraternity Row where all the spring parties were well under way. I felt like throwing up from the nerves.
The caterer had arrived and set up while I had gone home and cleaned up. The centerpieces that were supposed to look like simple sidewalk cafe decorations ended up being tropical but they looked elegant. The very expensive chocolate fountain ended up being a bowl of chocolate. These ended up being the main problems of the night.
The kids started arriving. They looked beautiful. There were only a few mishaps with the master list but check in seemed to go fine. Lead out for the seniors went smoothly, I got pulled in by Greg a senior I have taught twice and who is in my advisory group. Slightly embarrassing. Crowning of the prom king and queen went well enough. And the party wrapped up a little early with minimal bad behavior. The Prom Queen lost her keys and she was the driver. She was there for hours trying to find them. Clean up and breakdown went quickly with lots of help. Kerri volunteered to drive the trees back to the school. We dropped of the trees and some boxes in the lobby locked the school back up and headed home. We fell into bed around 1:45. I felt giddy and free of stress.
I do have some loose ends to tie up and some extra items to sell off. But overall it went well. And it is over. And there 20 days left in the school year.
These photos are terrible. My batteries were weak so the flash was bad, I used fill light in my editor. So use your imagination to picture low lights and lots of twinklel ights.
Students used glow in the dark sharpies to sign their names on the skyline by the dance floor.
Adam and I woke up and after a drive thru breakfast of Chick-Fli we meet my principal at the school to transport the Paris kits, lights and extension cords. We arrived at the conference center to meet with our student and parent volunteers and start creating the perfect backdrop for celebration. Only two kids show up to help. And they only stayed as long as their hair appointments allowed. The parents were great, we wouldn't have been able to do it without them. Adam opened the box to the sixteen foot Eiffel Tower and read the estimated building time. 8 hours! He deserve several jewels on his crown!! The teachers on my committee and the parents worked a long time to put together a tower, gate, lamposts and hook up all the lights. I missed Sela's amazing birthday party. And in the midst of the preparation met our new pastor and his wife while picking up a t shirt order at the church.
We left around five to shower and I needed to get a dress to wear. I was getting nervous about all the things could go wrong. Particularly with the safety of my kids. It just happened to be Greek Week, and we were 100 yards from Fraternity Row where all the spring parties were well under way. I felt like throwing up from the nerves.
The caterer had arrived and set up while I had gone home and cleaned up. The centerpieces that were supposed to look like simple sidewalk cafe decorations ended up being tropical but they looked elegant. The very expensive chocolate fountain ended up being a bowl of chocolate. These ended up being the main problems of the night.
The kids started arriving. They looked beautiful. There were only a few mishaps with the master list but check in seemed to go fine. Lead out for the seniors went smoothly, I got pulled in by Greg a senior I have taught twice and who is in my advisory group. Slightly embarrassing. Crowning of the prom king and queen went well enough. And the party wrapped up a little early with minimal bad behavior. The Prom Queen lost her keys and she was the driver. She was there for hours trying to find them. Clean up and breakdown went quickly with lots of help. Kerri volunteered to drive the trees back to the school. We dropped of the trees and some boxes in the lobby locked the school back up and headed home. We fell into bed around 1:45. I felt giddy and free of stress.
I do have some loose ends to tie up and some extra items to sell off. But overall it went well. And it is over. And there 20 days left in the school year.
These photos are terrible. My batteries were weak so the flash was bad, I used fill light in my editor. So use your imagination to picture low lights and lots of twinklel ights.
Students used glow in the dark sharpies to sign their names on the skyline by the dance floor.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The Ficus Trees
So it's the week of prom. The kids are excited and when you walk down the hall you hear the buzz about hair do's nail appointments and such. I've heard, "Our shirt is the cutest anywhere!" Which makes me feel good. I am surprisingly enjoying the excitement of the week as well. There have been some bumps and stress but I can feel the prayers around me steering me through the week.
Like the ficus trees....
Imagine opening the doors to a ballroom and seeing a beautiful gate that leads down a path lined with twinkle light wrapped trees and ends with 16 foot tall Eiffel Tower. On your left is a Parisian Cafe. On your right is a gated dance floor. Perfect setting for the Midnight in Paris themed prom. Central to this is the lined street with trees. Ficus trees. Bryant has a great environmental club, EarthNerds, who volunteered to purchase trees for the school which they would lend to us. Due to miscommunication I thought these trees were all taken care of a month ago. But on Monday I discovered this was definitely not the case. I tried not to panic as a frantically searched our local nurseries for ficus trees. Tuesday morning I woke up and was praying about all the things going on. And a coworker popped into my head. She had offered me help in exchange for not chaperoning Saturday night because she had other stuff going on. She has a talent of making things happen. She took to the assignment with passion and excitement. By noon she had not only found trees, pots, moss, she had paid for them and arranged to have them taken to and from prom! God is so good!
Like the ficus trees....
Imagine opening the doors to a ballroom and seeing a beautiful gate that leads down a path lined with twinkle light wrapped trees and ends with 16 foot tall Eiffel Tower. On your left is a Parisian Cafe. On your right is a gated dance floor. Perfect setting for the Midnight in Paris themed prom. Central to this is the lined street with trees. Ficus trees. Bryant has a great environmental club, EarthNerds, who volunteered to purchase trees for the school which they would lend to us. Due to miscommunication I thought these trees were all taken care of a month ago. But on Monday I discovered this was definitely not the case. I tried not to panic as a frantically searched our local nurseries for ficus trees. Tuesday morning I woke up and was praying about all the things going on. And a coworker popped into my head. She had offered me help in exchange for not chaperoning Saturday night because she had other stuff going on. She has a talent of making things happen. She took to the assignment with passion and excitement. By noon she had not only found trees, pots, moss, she had paid for them and arranged to have them taken to and from prom! God is so good!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The Rest of Spring Break
Spring Break is over.
I enjoyed every minute of it.
We went to the zoo.
We rode the train.
We looked at the animals.
Noah was excited.
He asked "what's that?"
He waved at the animals.
He cried when we sat on the tractor.
We went to McWane Center.
Noah thought it was amazing!
It was a joy to watch him.
I forgot my camera.
Friday I spent the day shopping with my mom and sister.
We found some cute deals at a Home and Outdoor Furnishing Consignment store.
Saturday night we celebrated my sister Emily's birthday at Sips and Strokes.
It was a hard painting.
But we had fun.
My mom's was really good.
This is prom week.
Pray for me.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Dog at the Park
The first few days of Spring Break have been good. Restful. Mostly because on Monday morning I had an ingrown toenail removed (gross, I know, sorry). So I have had to have my feet up, literally. My only compliant is the weather. I was told via 33/40 weather blog that it would be sunny and warm this week.
This afternoon Adam, Noah, and Charlie and I visited our nearby park. Because of the weather we were the only ones there. Charlie loved this because we let him off the leash and he played on the playground as well. 
Tomorrow we take on the zoo!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The Easter Post
I really enjoyed our sermon this morning. It made nostalgic for my church growing up. Our guest pastor talked about how much we celebrate Christmas and miss the importance of the resurrection and how it is the crux of our faith and without Christmas doesn't mean much. Growing up Episcopal I remember a big deal being made out of Easter. Lent was a preparation and Holy Week services were important. I still remember having my feet washed as a little girl. I really missed the Holy Week liturgy this week. Combined with our message on I Corinthians 15 and some awesome passion filled praise from the choir, I reflected tearfully on the gifts Christ has given me:
An amazing husband whose unconditional love puts me to shame
A beautiful healthy happy son whose joy for life keeps me going
Supportive family and friends
But none of these are as great as the greatest thing He gave me, not his death on the cross but his defeat of death to bring me LIFE.
Life.
I am ashamed that so much of my time is wasted wishing for time to pass faster. If I could just make it through the week.... If I can get to summer..... In a couple of years.... His death and resurrection gave me life, not to waste but to live. His suffering was to give me freedom to live, work, love, laugh. What a shame that I don't take advantage of this life and use it to serve Him, love Him, enjoy Him, praise Him more and more. Instead of focusing on my inadequacies and the things I'll never accomplish or the things I desire yet cannot have, I should focus on the gifts He has granted me, the opportunities He presents to me, and the doors opened to share His freedom and love with others.
May we each live life abundantly!
An amazing husband whose unconditional love puts me to shame
A beautiful healthy happy son whose joy for life keeps me going
Supportive family and friends
But none of these are as great as the greatest thing He gave me, not his death on the cross but his defeat of death to bring me LIFE.
Life.
I am ashamed that so much of my time is wasted wishing for time to pass faster. If I could just make it through the week.... If I can get to summer..... In a couple of years.... His death and resurrection gave me life, not to waste but to live. His suffering was to give me freedom to live, work, love, laugh. What a shame that I don't take advantage of this life and use it to serve Him, love Him, enjoy Him, praise Him more and more. Instead of focusing on my inadequacies and the things I'll never accomplish or the things I desire yet cannot have, I should focus on the gifts He has granted me, the opportunities He presents to me, and the doors opened to share His freedom and love with others.
May we each live life abundantly!
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Spring Break
Spring: renewal, celebration of life, a new start, fresh, bright, happy, colorful, forgiveness
Break:not the norm, rest, time off, reflection, recovery
I am so excited about spending Spring Break with my boys! We have plans for the zoo, McWane Center, enjoying the weather and eachother. This week will give me the energy and strength in order to get through the last five weeks of the school year. Summer is right around the corner. I look forward to be a stay home mom for six weeks. This week will be a preview of the fun and bonding we will share.
Here are some pictures of how we started off Spring Break this afternoon and really a good description of how we spend our pretty Spring afternnons. With B, chalk, buubles, the car and the wagon.
Break:not the norm, rest, time off, reflection, recovery
I am so excited about spending Spring Break with my boys! We have plans for the zoo, McWane Center, enjoying the weather and eachother. This week will give me the energy and strength in order to get through the last five weeks of the school year. Summer is right around the corner. I look forward to be a stay home mom for six weeks. This week will be a preview of the fun and bonding we will share.
Here are some pictures of how we started off Spring Break this afternoon and really a good description of how we spend our pretty Spring afternnons. With B, chalk, buubles, the car and the wagon.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Basket
At the Easter Egg Hunt I was reminded of the fact that Noah didn't have his Easter Basket yet. Last year Nana gave Noah Adam's Easter basket. It is far too precious to me to use for Egg Hunts and such. It is definitely display only. At the Easter Egg Hunt kids had gorgeous baskets hand painted or monogrammed. I don't have 70$ for a Pottery Barn Basket or the two weeks required for personalization at the store that does the painting. I didn't really have anything else to do and I was bored and had some down time so I thought I'd make it myself. I consulted Laura (my personal make it yourself craft expert) from the aisles of Hobby Lobby and then two days later I got the following results.
It isn't perfect or nearly as cool as the ones from the store but I am pleased. It solved my time and money issue!
It isn't perfect or nearly as cool as the ones from the store but I am pleased. It solved my time and money issue!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Easter Egg Hunt
First I'd like to give a big thank you to Ms. Bryd. She was the prom sponsor for my senior prom. I was on her committee and I don't remember doing much. Now I know exactly what she did.This is more stressful than planning a wedding. There is no emotional significance on my part to make me sentimental or nostalgic and my guests are teenagers who come with angst and legal entanglements. And the thousands of dollars I'm spending isn't mine and it isn't attached to a check book but perfectly timed purchase orders that stores don't take. At least I won't be posing for photographers, my stressed out skin isn't the stuff memories are made of.
So despite that I am not in my right mind, I was really looking forward to this past weekend. Noah was going to his first Easter Egg Hunt and John Henry's 2nd birthday party. The day was to be a brief blissful escape from hundreds of prom forms and the spreadsheet I enter them into and the papers, test and projects to be graded(grades were due this morning and its been a couple weeks since I have logged into my gradebook). Noah had so much fun at the Egg Hunt. It was so much fun to see him and the other kids and visit with our friends. It is crazy to think that our class four years ago had one pregnant couple and now there are 18 children among us. We make up most of the preschool department!
Dusti and I
Noah checking out Davis' goodies
Noah and Sela
After fun and fellowship we got into the car to drive to Cullman for JH's chocolate bunny party. I was so excited to get to visit with my friends and see Megan's awesome party planning and hostess skills. We got to Cullman no one was there, just two cars in the driveway. I thought we were lost or something. But no, JH's party wasn't Saturday it was Sunday. I had stared at that invitation for a week. And had convinced myself it was the 4th. I am embarrassed and I have lost my mind! My sweet patient husband and son! My mind was only thinking of the t-shirt order, presentation in the faculty meeting on collaborative teaching, my methods student teaching her lesson Monday, grades being due Tuesday, money in the safe to receipt, Special Ed meetings. Is it Spring Break yet??
To cheer me up and turn the afternoon around we had a picnic dinner at Homewood Park with Mimi, Papa, and Charlie. 
Now that grades are in the computer and the crazy Monday is behind me, I feel better. We had productive prom meeting this afternoon and I am thinking I might just make it through the next three days and get to enjoy Spring Break!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Silver Stars
This story is for my sweet friend Emmie Claire who just gets a kick out of my school stories.
It's no secret that my stress level at school is over the top right now. Looming big on my horizon is prom. It is ruling my universe right now as I struggle to pull all the little details together. Forget lesson plans and grades being due in a five days with stacks of ungraded papers stuffed in every crevice of my room. And to top it off I will be going to Atlanta with freshmen at 5:00am Friday morning for an all day trip to a Medieval Times Dinner (Lunch) Theater and the big mall.
Yesterday started off with me being late to school because we had to pick up my car after taking it in because the dreaded "Service Engine" light came on. And of course my principal was passing in front of my room exactly when I was walking up at 8:01. The day progressed well. The kids were doing well and my fourth block sounded actually prepared for their test on the French Revolution. That afternoon I was scheduled to preside over a student prom committee meeting and attend a meeting for a committee I am on about improving school climate.
I love the school climate committee it really gives me hope and makes me feel like I am doing something to make my school a better place to work and learn. Cheesy. I know. So I set the kids up for their task, tracing, cutting and painting 250 silver stars to hang in our tree lined path to the Eiffel Tower. At first there were only two of them. They said things were good so I left them to it and went 50 yards down the hall to the library for my meeting. The meeting was great we were really coming up with some great things. At 4:30 we were still going strong so I ran down to check on my kids expecting them to have left. To my delight there were now seven happily tracing, cutting and laughing. I told them whenever they had to go feel free. I would clean up. I told them to close my door behind them because my purse and stuff was still in here and I had my classroom key. I went back into my meeting happy.
The meeting was going well and I had volunteered myself and a friend to make a presentation at Monday's faculty meeting(because I don't have anything else going on really) but at 5:00 I started to get nervous. I have to pick Noah up by 5:30. They are open till six but my assigned time is 5:30. I takes 26 minutes to get there. We wrapped up at 5:15. I felt great about our solutions and my day and brave enough to take Noah for a haircut. (School Spring pictures are today and it just couldn't wait any longer, literally) I walked down the hall towards my room. Surprisingly my door was open. And it smelled strongly of spray paint. No one was there but my door and both windows were flung wide open. And in the middle of my floor was a huge square outline of where newspaper had been laid down. The outline was in silver spray paint.
ON MY FLOOR.
My principal walked in right behind me to thank me for staying late and volunteering for the presentation. In the interest of full disclosure I showed her the spray paint. No sense in hiding the obvious. Right? The thing that got to me the most is that they didn't leave a note. They didn't come get me. They haven't even showed up this morning to say, "opps."
But I do have beautiful silver stars. About fifty. Only 200 more to go. Those we will paint outside!
And thanks to painter's wipes a semi clean floor.
It's no secret that my stress level at school is over the top right now. Looming big on my horizon is prom. It is ruling my universe right now as I struggle to pull all the little details together. Forget lesson plans and grades being due in a five days with stacks of ungraded papers stuffed in every crevice of my room. And to top it off I will be going to Atlanta with freshmen at 5:00am Friday morning for an all day trip to a Medieval Times Dinner (Lunch) Theater and the big mall.
Yesterday started off with me being late to school because we had to pick up my car after taking it in because the dreaded "Service Engine" light came on. And of course my principal was passing in front of my room exactly when I was walking up at 8:01. The day progressed well. The kids were doing well and my fourth block sounded actually prepared for their test on the French Revolution. That afternoon I was scheduled to preside over a student prom committee meeting and attend a meeting for a committee I am on about improving school climate.
I love the school climate committee it really gives me hope and makes me feel like I am doing something to make my school a better place to work and learn. Cheesy. I know. So I set the kids up for their task, tracing, cutting and painting 250 silver stars to hang in our tree lined path to the Eiffel Tower. At first there were only two of them. They said things were good so I left them to it and went 50 yards down the hall to the library for my meeting. The meeting was great we were really coming up with some great things. At 4:30 we were still going strong so I ran down to check on my kids expecting them to have left. To my delight there were now seven happily tracing, cutting and laughing. I told them whenever they had to go feel free. I would clean up. I told them to close my door behind them because my purse and stuff was still in here and I had my classroom key. I went back into my meeting happy.
The meeting was going well and I had volunteered myself and a friend to make a presentation at Monday's faculty meeting(because I don't have anything else going on really) but at 5:00 I started to get nervous. I have to pick Noah up by 5:30. They are open till six but my assigned time is 5:30. I takes 26 minutes to get there. We wrapped up at 5:15. I felt great about our solutions and my day and brave enough to take Noah for a haircut. (School Spring pictures are today and it just couldn't wait any longer, literally) I walked down the hall towards my room. Surprisingly my door was open. And it smelled strongly of spray paint. No one was there but my door and both windows were flung wide open. And in the middle of my floor was a huge square outline of where newspaper had been laid down. The outline was in silver spray paint.
ON MY FLOOR.
My principal walked in right behind me to thank me for staying late and volunteering for the presentation. In the interest of full disclosure I showed her the spray paint. No sense in hiding the obvious. Right? The thing that got to me the most is that they didn't leave a note. They didn't come get me. They haven't even showed up this morning to say, "opps."
But I do have beautiful silver stars. About fifty. Only 200 more to go. Those we will paint outside!
And thanks to painter's wipes a semi clean floor.
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